Electric feeding mechanism.



No. 848,928. PATENTBD APR. 2', 1901. A. w. SHERWOOD.

ELECTRIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATIOK FILED DEC. 26. 1906.

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' PATENTED APR. 2,1907. A. W. SHERWOOD. ELBGTRIG FEEDING MECHANISM.

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ARTHUR WEBB SHERWVOOD, OF MODONOUGH, GEORGIA.

ELECTRIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Api'i12, 1907.

Application filed December 26, 1906. Serial No. 349,445.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WEBB SHER- WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at McDonough, in the county of Henry and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification. a

This invention is an electrically-operated apparatus for feeding stock, and has for its object to provide an improved mechanism for the purpose indicated which can be oper ated by small power and which has the advantage that a signal is provided to indicate to the operator that the feed-boxes have been discharged into the feeding-troughs.

Electric connections are provided by means of which the feed-boxes are emptied in succession, the circuit to succeeding boxes being closed by the operation of the preceding box, and, finally, a bell-circuit is closed, the sound of the bell being transmitted to the operator, thereby notifying him that all the boxes have been emptied.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in elevation showing the connections and de vices at each box.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates a succession of feed-boxes which dis charge into a succession of feed-troughs 7 below the same. There are as many boxes rovided as there are troughs to be filled. Each box has a swinging bottom 8, hinged at 9, and which when opened will allow the contents of the box to fall into the trough.

The electrical devices include a battery 10, from which extend two main lines 11 and 12, with a controlling-switch 14 therein. Bridged in the circuit is a receiver or microphone 13, the switch and receiver being convenlently located in the house or otherwise to be readily accessible to the operator. At the opposite end of the line is an electrically-operated bell 15, adjacent to which is a microphone or transmitter 16, bridged in the circuit. When the circuit is closed throughout, the bell will ring and the sound thereof is transmitted through the transmitter 16 and the line to the receiver 13, where it may be heard.

At each feed-box 6 is a switch 17, connected in the line 12, the terminals thereof being respectively connected to the contact-piece 18 22, and the other side of the branch is connected to the lever 25 of the switch. This switch is normally closed.

The switches 17 and 22 are located conveniently on the side of the feed-box adjacent to each other, and their levers have split pins or handles 26, which receive a flat spring 27, fixed at one end, as at 28, and connected at the other end by means of a link '29 to the swinging bottom 8 of the feed-box.

hen the bottom is lifted or closed and latched, the spring 27 lifts the switch-levers, opening the switch 17 and closing the switch 22. When the bottom drops, the switch 17 is closed and the switch 22 is opened.

The magnet 23 controls a pivoted armature 30, which is connected by alink31,which is pivoted at 32 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 33, which is connected to the latch 34, which holds the bottom 8 closed. When the armature is lifted, the latch is released and the bottom drops.

In use the feed is placed in the respective boxes, the bottoms thereof being closed and latched. The line is normally open at all the switches 17 and at thefirst box the bridge-circuit is closed through the switch 22. Then to operate the boxes the controlling-switch 14 is closed. The effect of this is to energize the magnet 23 of the first box and release the latch thereof. This allows the bottom of the box to drop, emptying the contents of the box into the first trough. The same action opens the switch 22, thereby cutting out the electromagnet-coil and closing the switch 17, thereby closing the circuit to the next box, which is immediately operated in a similar manner, and so on until all the boxes are emptied. Finally the circuit of the bell 15 is closed, operating the same, and the sound thereof is transmitted to the operator who is listening at the receiver 13, thereby notifying him that all the boxes have been operated and emptied.

It will be seen that the actuating devices at each box are successively cut in and then cut out, so that the resistance of all the coils does not have to be overcome, and consequently great battery strength is not needed, even for a very large number of boxes. WVhen the line is closed, the microphones may be used as telephones to communicate between the house and barn or otherwise.

I claim 1. In a feeding device, in combination, a series of feed-boxes having openable bottoms, an electric circuit having a controlling switch and a source of current, and means to successively open the bottoms of the boxes, comprising a switch in the circuit at each box and operatively connected to the bottom thereof, the switch being open when the bot tom is closed and vice versa, a catch at each box, engaging the bottom to hold. the same closed, and an electromagnet bridged in the circuit at each box and having an armature operatively connected to the catch, to release the same.

2. In a feeding device, in combination, a series of dumping feed-boxes, a sounding signal at the end of the series, an electric cir' cuit having a controlling-switch distant from the boxes, a transmitter and receiver 1n the circuit, the former being adjacent the signal and the latter adjacent the switch, and means in the circuit to dump the boxes and sound the signal.

3. In a feeding device, in combination, a series of feeding-boxes having swinging bottoms, an electric circuit having a source of current and a controlling-switch, a switch at each box, in series in the circuit, a bridge-circuit at each box, in advanceof such switch ,and having therein a switch and an electromagnet, a catch for each bottom, connected to the armature of the magnet and adapted to be released when the magnet is energized, and a connection between the bottom and the switches at each box, arranged to open the I 

